Deansgrange Cemetery

Sean Lemass (grave)

Sean Lemass is buried in Deansgrange Cemetery He was a member of the Irish Volunteer Force and fought in the 1916 Easter Rising. He went on to serve the country as a politician for over forty years, including as Taoiseach. His grave stands amongst all the other graves, not singled out in any way.

Sean Lemass (grave)

Sean Lemass is buried in Deansgrange Cemetery He was a member of the Irish Volunteer Force and fought in the 1916 Easter Rising. He went on to serve the country as a politician for over forty years, including as Taoiseach. His grave stands amongst all the other graves, not singled out in any way.

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Deansgrange Cemetery was established in 1861 and the first burial took place there in 1865. There is an area of the cemetery marked Republican Plot and it commemorates prisoners who died in Wandsworth Prison in 1922. James Connolly's daughter Fiona is also buried here.

This cemetery illustrates perfectly the way people of various differing walks of life end up side by side. There are two Taoisigh buried here, Sean Lemass and John A. Costello. The singer John McCormack and the writer Frank O'Connor are also buried here.

Sean Lemass was born in Ballybrack and fought in the 1916 Rising with the Volunteers. He served Dublin City as a T.D. from 1925 until 1969, without interruption and died 2 years later in 1971. Lemass was renowned for his drive and enthusiasm in relation to the reform of the country.

As Taoiseach he improved industry and helped promote a new more developed Ireland. This was in contrast to his predecessor, Eamonn De Valera who had ruled for so many years.

John A. Costello (grave)

John A. Costello studied law in U.C.D. and was called to the Bar in 1914. He served in the Dáil from 1933 until 1957, during which time he served as Taoiseach twice. Following his departure from the Dáil he returned to working as a barrister and died in 1976.

John A. Costello (grave)

John A. Costello studied law in U.C.D. and was called to the Bar in 1914. He served in the Dáil from 1933 until 1957, during which time he served as Taoiseach twice. Following his departure from the Dáil he returned to working as a barrister and died in 1976.

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John A. Costello studied law and practised at the Bar from 1914. He won election to the Dáil in 1933 and served as Taoiseach from 1946-1951 and from 1954-1957. During his tenure Ireland was declared a Republic in 1949. Costello retired from political life and returned to the Bar, almost up until his death in 1976.

John McCormack (grave)

Regarded by many as the greatest lyric tenor of his generation John McCormack won a gold medal for his singing in the Feis Ceoil in 1902. This very popular singer made his debut in 1907 in Covent Garden.

John McCormack (grave)

Regarded by many as the greatest lyric tenor of his generation John McCormack won a gold medal for his singing in the Feis Ceoil in 1902. This very popular singer made his debut in 1907 in Covent Garden.

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Frank O'Connor (grave)

Frank O’Connor is a renowned short story writer from Cork. His first collection of stories was called ‘Guests of the Nation’ was published in 1931. He wrote many other stories and travel books as well as plays (two of which were produced in the Abbey). He died in 1966.

Frank O'Connor (grave)

Frank O’Connor is a renowned short story writer from Cork. His first collection of stories was called ‘Guests of the Nation’ was published in 1931. He wrote many other stories and travel books as well as plays (two of which were produced in the Abbey). He died in 1966.

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Mingled in with the past political leaders of this country are famous people from the world of arts and culture. John McCormack was regarded as the greatest lyric tenor of his generation, having made his debut in Covent Garden in 1907.

O'Connor was known primarily as a writer of short stories. His first publication was entitled Guests of the Nation and was published in 1931. He wrote plays (2 of which were performed in the Abbey Theatre) and travel books. During his lifetime he lectured in colleges in America and at home in Trinity College Dublin.